Chapter 1Santana's Pov

The clock that was fixed on the wall marked seven o'clock in the morning. Through the windows, the rain fell to form a blanket of water, followed by lightning and then a great thunder that almost made me tremble.

The smell of coffee flooded the room and gave a warm atmosphere to the interior of the café, completely opposite to the exterior. It was a habit to enter the cafeteria before arriving at my office. Especially on rainy days like this, it was always good to start the morning with a steaming cup of coffee.

After graduating I tried to give a chance to college in Kentucky. It was a failure, so I decided to move to New York. I lived with two old classmates for a while. I wouldn't exactly call them best friends, but I considered them my friends and kind of like family. You know, the ones that you pretended didn't exist but still cared about them. Yes, I am referring to Kurt and Rachel.

That didn't last long because I moved to the NYU's campus where I started studying law. After that we kind of lost contact, well, Rachel and I lost contact. Although it was like she disappeared from the Earth's faze. No one knew about her, not even Kurt who was her best friend.

Three years after I entered college I graduated with honors and all that shit. Honestly I thought I would never make it through first year, but I actually found myself enjoying every class. It never crossed my mind being a lawyer so I will admit that it was a surprise when in graduation my professors gave me a medal of best student. Now, four years later, I'm one of the best and hottest lawyers of New York.

I was so lost on my mind that I didn't saw the kid that was running under the rain. When I came back to the real world the boy was already with his butt against the wet sidewalk. He looked at me with his big brown doe eyes full of tears and I found that eyes familiar, like a dejavú.

I reached out my hand for the boy to took it and when he did I helped him get to his feets. "Are you 'kay, little man?" He just nodded with a shy look decorating his face.

I was about to ask where his mother was when a woman took his shoulders and turned him around. She dropped on her knees and hugged the boy tightly against her body. I just stood there in silence watching how after the hug she began to talk in signal language to the kid. Wasn't sure what she was saying, but the boy dropped his head and nodded.

When the woman finished lecturing her son she stood up. Her body frame looked familiar to me, but I wasn't quite sure. The woman brushed her wet hair out of her face and lifted her eyes meeting mines. In that moment I felt how my heart skipped a beat, or a lot of beats.

"Rachel," her gaze was as surprised as the tone of my voice. I hadn't seen this girl for seven years and now she was in front of me with a son. "Oh my God, Rachel! How are you? I haven't seen you in a while."

Rachel didn't answer, instead I watched as she took a small notebook and pen and started writing. When she showed me the paper it said, "Santana, even though I appreciate your concern on my well being, I would prefer to converse about this under a roof. I consider me and my boy big fans of the rain, but I'm not in the mood to catch a cold."

"Sure, my office it's a couple of blocks ahead. We can talk there." She just nodded and I was wondering what was wrong with her voice. But it was Rachel Berry, she was probably resting her vocal cords for a big performance.

*

When we reached the large glass doors of my office, the rain had stopped. Once inside, I found two towels and ordered two hot chocolates.

Rachel and her son's clothes were soaked and I was afraid they would catch a cold, so I also ordered some clothes for them. After making sure they were wearing dry clothes and drinking hot chocolate, I motioned for them to sit down.

"So, what is it with the not talking thing? Are you saving your voice for a Broadway show or something like that?" I saw as a sadness expression took over Rachel's face and I was instantly regretting my questions. "Did I say something wrong?" I asked with my voice full of concern.

"You didn't say anything bad, Santana. But I must inform you that I have been mute for three years."

I went pale. I was speechless. Everyone at McKinley High knew Rachel for her magnificent voice. That was her destiny, it was everything to her. I couldn't help but think how unfair life could be. I mean, come on! Every person in Lima was well aware that Rachel Berry would be a big Broadway star.

"What happened? When it happened?"

Rachel sighed and began to write in her notebook.

Her hand moved fast, as if she was already used to communicating like that by now. "When you moved out I got the lead role in 'Funny Girl', and it was amazing, Santana. I was living the time of my life, living my dream. Then it all fell apart when the show ended. Kurt moved out with Blaine, so I was alone. A year later I met Brody, and everything went so fast, we were so in love. We got married and were happy, until a month after that I started to feel something in my throat. I went to the doctor and he did some X-rays just to find out I had throat cancer. Brody left me when I told him and two weeks later I found out I was pregnant. The chemotherapies affected my vocal cords so everything just got fucked up."

It was a lot to process but I asked the first thing that came to my mind. "You have cancer?"

Rachel let out something that in a way sounded like a chuckle. And wrote in her notebook again, "I had cancer. I've been in remission for two years and a half."

A wave of relief runned through my body and I couldn't stop myself from hugging Rachel. It was true that she wasn't my favorite person all the time but she was family. Also the thought of her having a terminal sickness was really unpleasant.

I didn't know how many times we stayed like that, comforting into each other's arms. But the sound of a tiny voice broke us away, "Momma, can I have more hot chocolate?"

We laughed, which surprised me because I thought Rachel wouldn't be able to do that. The boy looked at me and moved a little closer to his mother, hiding behind her arm. I knelt in front of him with the idea of introducing myself.

"What manners of mine. My name is Santana López. I've known your mami a long time ago." I reached out my hand once again, but at least this time the boy wasn't butt of the ground.

He looked at me hesitantly and then to Rachel who gave him a nod with an encouraging look. "Hi, I'm Theo Berry, it's a pleasure to meet you. Can I have more hot chocolate? Please."

I laughed, the boy manners giving me mental images of a high schooler, Rachel Berry. "Of course you can have more hot chocolate, buddy. And it's also a pleasure to meet you."

*

After a second cup of hot cocoa, Theo fell asleep on Rachel's lap with his face against her chest. I concentrated on the way she was rubbing his back so gently, like he was made of glass. The smile on her face never left while her eyes were focussed on him. It was raterly obvious that that boy was Rachel's happiness. Maybe without him she wouldn't be here right now, and that thought was scary.

I couldn't tell what was more scary, if the thought of losing her or the thoughts of how I would feel if I lost her. The truth was that I wanted Rachel to be in my life and I wanted to be on her and Theo's. Once I realized that, the idea of losing her wasn't so scary even though the feelings were a little overwhelming.

"Do you have like a phone number or something? Does that work for you? I mean, I would like to stay in touch with you, Rach. Already lost you seven years ago ain't planning on doing it again." Oh my God, I was rambling!

Rachel lifted her hand to her mouth to cover her smile and I felt my cheeks burning in embarrassment. "I would love to stay in touch with you, Tana." She passed me a piece of paper with a phone number and I smiled.

Rachel was going to say something but Theo started nuzzling against her chest humming in contentment. I couldn't judge him, Rachel's chest was comfortable as hell. I remember those movie nights where we started seated on the couch and ended up with my head against her chest, sadly not in a wanky way.

"He's like a little version of you. How old is he." Rachel's smile brightened and I couldn't help but smile too.

"Can you read lips?" I nodded after reading the note and she put away the notebook and the pen. "He's almost five years old. I had him during my first year of chemo and it was like a reason to fight the cancer. The doctors said that he was in risk of borning with some health complications but he was born fine and strong. I couldn't ask for more, after all he's a Berry."

I tried to focus on reading what she was saying but I must admit her lips are utterly distracting factors. "You're right on that, he's a Berry. And I know from good sources that Berrys are strong as hell." She smiled shyly and I found that extremely adorable. "Why didn't you contact anyone, Rach? Or at least Kurt."

Rachel was going to answer but she looked at her phone and her eyes opened wide. "I would love to keep talking but I'm going to be late for work if I don't leave now."

I watched her as she lifted Theo with her arms under the back of his thighs and got off the couch. "Do you think we can meet next week in the cafeteria? But without being in the rain." She chuckled and nodded.

"That would be great, text me the day and hour later. See you next week, Tana." She left a kiss on my right cheek and I just stood there dumbfounded.

I reacted when she was already walking down the sidewalk. I just put my hand on my cheek looking at the glass doors. What a day and it was only nine o'clock.